


Birds of a Feather

by tatersalad5001



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Genre: (this takes place during the WRGP), (u know how season four be), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comfort, Depression, Major Character Injury, Multi, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:15:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21853558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatersalad5001/pseuds/tatersalad5001
Summary: Yusei could tell Crow was trying his hard to hide it, but he could also tell Crow was depressed. Who wouldn’t be? His wings were clipped.Yusei just wished there was more he could do. Something, to help one of the most important people in his life. He wasn’t the only one.
Relationships: Jack Atlas/Fudou Yuusei/Crow Hogan
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	Birds of a Feather

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mynamesaplant](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mynamesaplant/gifts).



“Might not be a bad idea to throw in this big guy.” Crow picked up the card for Junk Berserker. “Gives you more options for Synchros, and if you’re up against something really powerful, his effect can help you turn the tables.”

“Hmm.” Yusei carefully took Junk Berserker from Crow and looked the card over. “I haven’t used this one in awhile, but that’s a good idea. I’ll do that. Thanks.”

“No prob.” Crow flashed a smile in Yusei’s direction. “Glad I can help.”

“Me, too. Your help’s always appreciated. How’re you holding up?” Yusei asked. “Need anything?”

Crow scowled down at his broken arm. “Not really holding up much of anything right now. But really, I don’t need anything, I’m fine. Just gonna take too long to heal, that’s all.”

It really was bad timing.

Yusei, Jack, and Crow had teamed up together for the WRGP— the big turbo dueling tournament where duelists worked together in teams of three. And then right in the middle of it, Crow’s arm was broken in an accident. Team 5D’s suspected it was actually sabotage by another team, but there was nothing they could do about it now. Nothing they could do would heal Crow’s arm faster, and that was all it took to take him out of the tournament for at least a couple more duels.

It wasn’t the worst thing in the world for the team itself. Akiza had just gotten her turbo dueling license. She was now serving as the team substitute until Crow had recovered. And Crow’s arm would recover with time. Until then, he went out with Akiza almost every day to help her practice and prepare for the tournament, working on both her driving and her teamwork strategies. No, Yusei wasn’t too worried about the team. The team was fine. He was a lot more worried about Crow.

It wasn’t that he was worried about Crow not getting better. He knew Crow would. It was about Crow’s mental state.

With only one working arm, Crow was severely limited. Turbo dueling was completely out of the question. He couldn’t drive his duel runner, and he certainly couldn't duel like that, either. Even just using a duel disk for a regular duel really required both arms and hands to be working properly. Crow couldn’t duel at all unless he sat down at a table and kept track of everything by hand. Even then, without a proper education, Crow’s writing and math skills weren’t the greatest. Crow used his duel runner for work to make deliveries, too, so not only was Crow losing his hobby, he couldn’t work, either.

Yusei could tell Crow was trying his hard to hide it, but he could also tell Crow was depressed. Who wouldn’t be? His wings were clipped. Helping Yusei work on his deck was probably the best mood Yusei had seen Crow in for at least a few days now.

Yusei just wished there was more he could do. Something, to help one of the most important people in his life.

He wasn’t the only one.

“He’s pretending he’s not, but he’s moping around the house all day,” Jack told Yusei. “He even stopped complaining about me not having a job. Which believe me, I don’t miss it, but it’s not like him.”

“I’d try to help him feel better if I could, but...” Yusei sighed. “I just don’t know how. I hate seeing him like this, too. I want him to be happy, we all earned it, but how?”

“Well, there’s no way he can drive a duel runner right now. That’s not happening.”

“Thanks, Jack.”

“But what if that didn’t have to stop him from dueling?” Jack pressed on, ignoring Yusei’s comment. “He and I both can’t really duel well without a duel disk, we’re not so great with numbers, so that’s not what I mean. What if he could use a duel disk with one hand?”

Yusei thought for a second. “Do they make any like that?”

“I’m not sure, but to be perfectly honest, even if they do I don’t know that we could afford it. You’ve heard Crow complain about my coffee expenses. But I don’t think that makes it out of the question, either.”

“What do you mean?”

“Use your fucking brain for a second, Yusei.” Jack rolled his eyes. “And you’re supposed to be the smart one of the relationship. You’re a mechanic. You built our duel runners from scratch and several junk parts.”

“Are you...saying I should build Crow a one-handed duel disk?” Yusei blinked. “Jack, that’s...that’s a really good idea. And it’s really kind of you, too. Building it myself would bring the cost down, and we can really tailor it to Crow specifically. And if he can duel, not only can he helps us prepare even more for the WRGP if he wants to, but it’ll help him regain some control over his life. He’ll be happier for sure.”

“Glad to see you’ve caught up with the rest of the class.” Jack smirked.

“So...how’re we making this thing?”

“Oh my god, Yusei, I just said you’re the mechanic. That’s your job to figure out. I’m only here for the brilliant ideas and moral support.”

“Gee, thanks again, Jack.”

Their planning session started the next time Crow was out, helping Akiza with more WRGP practice. It allowed Yusei and Jack to both plan in peace, since they were planning to make this a surprise. Yusei had a few days off from his own mechanic work; he’d purposefully taken on fewer jobs to help himself prepare for the WRGP, which also gave him more time for this new project.

”It needs all the same functions as our regular duel disks,” Yusei said. “Calculate life points, card holograms, all the card slots, connect to other duel disks, deck shuffling, card text reader...” He reached into the bag sitting next ro him and began pulling out parts. “I’ve already gotten some parts for that. I keep a lot of this around already for our duel runners, especially now because of the WRGP. Even if I’m missing something, it shouldn’t be hard to track down. I’m more concerned about the rest of the design at the moment.”

”Well, someone came prepared,” Jack commented.

”You’re damn right.”

All three of them had grown up living from junk and scraps. Even now, Yusei tended to hoard spare parts for just about anything he might need.

Jack grabbed his duel disk and activated it. He may not know how to even begin to build something like they were planning, but if there was one thing he knew, it was how to duel. He drew a few cards from his deck. “Usually you need one hand to hold your current hand, and the other hand to draw and place cards on the field. But right now we don’t have that luxury for Crow.”

”We need to eliminate one of those from the equation.”

”You can’t hold your hand in turbo dueling, either,” Jack pointed out. “Duel runners have holders for that built in. Maybe we could do something like that.”

”Yeah, yeah...you’re right. Something like that should work. But he can’t place cards with the same arm the duel disk is on, either. I still agree about the card holder, but I’m also thinking his duel disk shouldn’t go on his arm, either...”

The two of them kept throwing ideas at each other, taking some, throwing out others, and changing things along the way. Jack and Yusei quickly lost track of time, but partway into their planning, Yusei pulled out some paper and a pencil and began sketching out a design. Not that Yusei was any sort of artist. He never would claim that. But sketching designs was very necessary in his line of work. The sketches were rough, but showed the design from different angles, along with rough measurements. By the time Crow came back home, a final design was agreed on, and was also hidden away. Both Yusei and Jack’s mouths were shut.

Work began soon after.

Yusei was very careful not to let Crow see what he was up to, or what he was working on. Most of the tine Crow didn’t know he was doing anything at all. Jack even pitched in where he could, keeping his own involvement a secret. Both were determined to make this project the best possible for their other third.

And then, it was finished.

“I think you guys are all in pretty good shape for your next duel.” Crow took a sip from his mug of hot tea. “Your new strategies for the change in team are looking pretty solid. You’re all great duelists. The other teams should watch out.”

”As they should,” Jack responded. “Everyone ought to know to fear the King.”

”Don’t forget, there’s two Kings on this team,” Yusei reminded Jack. “That means we should require double the respect.”

”Of course, but don’t forget, I was the King first!”

Yusei ignored him. “Hey, Crow, come with me for a second. I need your help with something.”

”Me?” Crow frowned. “If I can really help you out, sure, whatever you need.”

”So I’m just chopped liver to you both, am I?” When Jack’s question was once again ignored, he tailed after them both.

Yusei took Jack and Crow over near where the trio kept their duel runners. Yusei kept a small work area there for duel runner maintenance, though duel runners were far from his mind at the moment. There was another project waiting there, much smaller than their motorcycles, which Yusei picked up and held out to Crow. “Of course you can help,” Yusei told him. “You’re the only person who can. Hold onto this for me.”

”Uh, okay then.” Crow did as Yusei asked. What he held in his hand now didn’t look like much. It was like someone had taken a duel disk and flattened it. Not that it was completely flat, but it was definitely more compact. “What is this, anyway?”

”You’ll see.” Yusei stepped behind Crow. “Just move your hand...here.” He wrapped one of his hands around Crow’s as he guided it a bit closer towards Crow’s body. “There should be a button near your thumb. Press that.”

Crow pushed the button.

A regular duel disk would wrap itself around a duelist’s wrist. This one wrapped itself around Crow’s waist. The duel disk’s field stretched out in front of him. The whole thing was designed to be as study as possible without weighing too much. It was also designed, objectively speaking, to look cool as fuck. It went along with the aesthetic of Crow’s helmet and duel runner; it was painted in dark colors and looked almost like the duel disk had sprouted wings. 

“Holy shit!” Crow stared down at the duel disk. “What is this? This looks so fucking cool!”

”We made you a special duel disk,” Yusei told him, smiling. “It does everything you would normally be able to do in a duel, but it lets you duel one-handed. There’s a card holder here so you don’t need to hold onto your hand, the deck and graveyard slots over here are easily accessible with either hand...” Yusei started pointing out all the key features of the device, explaining to Crow not only how to use it, but also that he could.

”You guys made this? This is... Wow.” Crow laughed. He’d barely laughed at all since his arm had been broken. In that moment, no sound could top Crow’s laughter to Jack and Yusei. “I can’t believe this. Thank you.”

”It was no problem at all, we were happy to do it,” Yusei said. “No one should be able to take away your ability to duel. Now, no one will be able to.”

Crow laughed again. “You keep saying ‘we’, but I’m not sure I can believe that. Last I checked, Jack’s not a mechanic.”

”Excuse me?? I did a lot to help make this duel disk!” Jack fumed. “Implying anything else is an insult!”

”To Jack’s credit, he was extremely helpful throughout the whole process,” Yusei added. “Not just with holding things in place for me, either. He helped a lot with the design. In fact, this was all his idea in the first place.”

”That might be a little too much credit, as hard as it is to admit. You were the one who wanted to do something for Crow, you brought it up first. All I did was think of something we could do for him.” Jack looked away from both Yusei and Crow. “We can share credit for the original idea.”

Crow reached out to grab Jack by the shoulder. “All jokes aside, Jack, thank you. Really. It means a lot to me that you wanted to help me duel again before my arm healed. It means a lot that you both did. I can’t thank you both enough.”

”A duel would be a good start.” Jack grinned. “It’s been too long since the three of us dueled together.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift for my good good good friend [Holly](https://mynamesaplant.tumblr.com/). Happy birthday and Merry Christmas!!! I really hope you like this one. I wanted to make you something about the boys, because I know you love the boys. I hope the coming days are kind to you, because you deserve it. You're so rad and kind you never couldn't deserve it. I love you. 
> 
> It's not like I don't think Martha wouldn't try to teach these boys stuff like reading and writing and math. But, look, Crow couldn't even tell a spell from a trap in the show. All I'm saying is that I love these boys. They deserved better.
> 
> If you're reading this, thank you. I hope you liked it.
> 
> (there's a deleted scene for this on tumblr if you're reading this!)


End file.
